


Summer Sojourn

by Sandpipersummer



Category: The Charioteer - Renault
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-23
Updated: 2009-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-05 02:47:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/36965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandpipersummer/pseuds/Sandpipersummer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ralph stays with Hugh during the summer vac</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summer Sojourn

Ralph's hair flopped over his eyes. He flicked it back as Hugh bit into his bottom lip and attempted to skim the pebble across the lake. A furious quacking accompanied his efforts, although Ralph counted only three hits over the water before the pebble sank.

Hugh's shoulders dipped. 'All right then, Lanyon, you win. Again.'

'You try to hard, Treviss; besides it's never a good idea to upset the wildlife.'

Hugh flopped down on the grass, and stared up at the sky, his eyes reflecting the clouds scudding by above them. 'Stupid ducks, what did they want to start swimming across like that for?'

'Because they're ducks,' Ralph replied, nudging his friend in the ribs. 'And that's what ducks do, swim.'

'Oh shut up.'

Hugh grinned at him and he had to turn away, pretending instead to be interested in the iridescent colours of the drake's feathers, shining with spray as he plunged across the water to chase the females. The green reminded him of Hugh's eyes, which was a stupid thing to consider, unless he really was in a bad way.

'Are you all right, Ralph?'

'Yes, fine,' he replied, resting his chin on bony knees, then wrapping his arms round legs that had shot up suddenly during the spring term and which now almost made him look like he walked on stilts. He wanted something that felt like comfort, but they weren't first years any longer. He tried sprawling on his side, but that just brought Hugh into close focus, which wasn't any good either. In desperation, he jumped up and kicked at the reeds growing at the side of the lake.

'We could sail,' said Hugh.

'Not till after lunch, your mother said.'

Ralph glanced back down. Hugh was looking up at him with a puzzled expression on his face, with a hand across his eyes, shielding them from the sun. The green was quite clear now, and Ralph couldn't bear it. He sat down again, this time not attempting to ignore his feelings.

'What about a bit of self abuse?' he asked, immediately regretting his direct approach.

Hugh stared at him. 'What, now?' He looked as if he wanted to ask Ralph if he'd lost his mind. Yes, I have, he would reply, only the question remained unspoken.

'Why not?' His voice was slightly shrill he noticed so he coughed and tried to cultivate the deeper tone that sprang upon him sometimes. 'I could…' He stared down at Hugh's crotch, feeling perfectly terrified at what he was suggesting, and what Hugh's reaction to it might be.

Hugh must have seen his terror because, although he looked a little unsure, he lay back and said, 'all right.'

He turned away after that, and Ralph couldn't bring himself to watch what he was doing so he closed his eyes and guided himself by touch. It was much like doing it to himself only better, and when Hugh moaned into the grass, Ralph knew that all his own thoughts on this particular subject had been leading him to the point where he could no longer deny what it was he wanted. He really had gone bad.

Hugh stayed facing the other way as Ralph passed him a clean handkerchief.

'Jolly nice of your parents to let me stay for the whole month,' he said in as bright a manner as he could muster. 'What with my old man abroad still, and mother going out to join him.'

Hugh didn't reply at first, and Ralph wondered if this was the end, come before anything in his life had even really begun. Eventually Hugh rolled over and sat up, laying a hand on Ralph's arm. 'It's all right, you know.'

'Is it?'

'We needn't mention it again, if you'd rather not. And it doesn't stop us being friends.'

Ralph felt relief swell inside him, his blood rushing through him, like the stream last winter when they lifted the dam to let the floodwater escape.

'If you're sure.'

'Of course I am.' Hugh stood up, tucking Ralph's handkerchief into his trouser pocket. 'Let me just go and ask mother if we can sail now instead of having to wait.'

Ralph was never sure if Hugh had left him at that point in order that he could merely gather his thoughts, or whether he suspected Ralph might need some time to complete his own ministrations. That was the last thing on his mind by this point, and he was still sitting gazing out onto the lake when Hugh ran back across the park a few minutes later.

'Mother says we can get the boat out and rig her up, but no actual sailing till this afternoon.'

'It is rather near luncheon to start now,' Ralph agreed.

'Toad in the hole and spotted dick according to cook.'

Ralph grinned. 'Let's get her set up then. Race you to the boathouse!'

He set off at a fast pace, leaving Hugh shouting behind him, then they were both racing down past the reeds and across the bridge that spanned the stream, Ralph's hair flowing behind him as he ran, laughing, towards his next favourite thing after Hugh.


End file.
